


Quiet

by Mr-MistyEyed (tallxboys)



Category: Twenty One Pilots
Genre: Anxiety, Anxiety Attacks, Autism, Autism Spectrum, Depression, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, I'll add more tags as I update, Nervous Josh, josh is confused and scared and probably in love but none of us are ready for that, joshler - Freeform, kind of, maybe more joshler in the future, slight angst, sorry - Freeform, who knows - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-23
Updated: 2019-10-22
Packaged: 2020-12-28 19:13:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,577
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21141797
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tallxboys/pseuds/Mr-MistyEyed
Summary: It’s not that Joshua has never, or can’t make friends. Plenty of people have understood his condition of living. Josh just gets scared of people too easily. They get too attached, or too loud, too expecting of him to do something he doesn’t wanna do right then. It scares him off. Makes his chest tight and his heady all dizzy, fingertips tingling and knees buzzing.





	1. Josh's favorite quiet mornings

It was morning. Josh’s most familiar schedule in his life. Get up, brush your teeth, get dressed, put on house slippers, go downstairs and sit in the second chair down on the right side of the already set dining table. Mornings were his favorite kind of quiet. 

His mother smiled softly for morning time, sliding a round piece of sausage off of her spatula and onto his plate. It made a quiet plop as both of their stomachs growled, ready for breakfast at 9:38 AM. Sausage, buttered biscuit and applesauce for Josh, plain apple for his mother which she eats after completing her plate.

Once his mother finally settled with her own plate of food, they began a quiet but everyday routine. 

“Joshua,” His mother started, “A new family recently moved in next door, taking place of Pat and Mary. The Josephs. Very sweet bunch, they are.” Josh’s eyebrows twitched, taking in the new and unfamiliar information. 

Pat and Mary were very supportive of Josh and his family. They didn’t alienate him like most people they come across. They had a beautiful garden that smelled mostly of tomatoes, and a gray cement bench which resided right next to their pink and red impatiens. 

Their lot was quiet, but not hold your breath and make your ears ring quiet. Peaceful quiet, like they talk about in love stories. Birds chirped and cars passed by every now and then with the occasional dog bark in someone’s distant yard. 

“ThmJsphms..” Josh mumbled, trying to get used to their sound. They didn’t sound scary, or loud. Even when not said right they still sounded safe. 

“That’s right, sugar. The mom even has a son your age. What do you think of having a together session?” They called them together sessions because sometimes Josh couldn’t do together all the time. 

He had strict rules on how he feels when it’s a together session. He’d join in with his comfy sound-canceling headphones, eventually and hopefully taking them off if it was quiet and safe enough. 

It’s sometimes quite hard for him still, but he’s gotten better. Which he internally prides himself on, doing an awkward excited hand flap and knee bounce, babbling on about how brave he was that day and all that he did. 

Josh nodded, it still being a morning where he’s connecting with the world and waking up still. No time for speaking. 

His mom, understanding, beamed silently, picking at the rest of her plate resisting the urge to happy dance that he agreed so quickly. 

It’s not that Joshua has never, or can’t make friends. Plenty of people have understood his condition of living. Josh just gets scared of people too easily. They get too attached, or too loud, too expecting of him to do something he doesn’t wanna do right then. It scares him off. Makes his chest tight and his heady all dizzy, fingertips tingling and knees buzzing. 

His mother was ecstatic. Something about this family seemed different, better. She was excited not only for herself, being able to make some new friends and all, but Josh as well. It was a new path and she was happy he’s willing to walk down it. 

  
  
  



	2. boy next door

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> moving trucks BAD

Josh woke up agitated, his schedule already ruined. There were more moving trucks next door this morning. The Josephs were still moving in, Josh was already tired of them. They kept ruining his schedule. The same one he’s had since he was a child. 

He flopped down on his back into the warm sheets and messy comforter, pulling a pillow over his face and groaning into it. 

Since his mother is used to silence throughout the house in the mornings, she was immediately in his room, alert as ever. 

“Joshua? Honey? Everything alright?” Josh dramatically sighed, removing the suffocating but warm pillow from his slobber covered face. 

“The trucks, are they moved in yet?” His mom let out a breath, relieved it wasn’t anything terribly serious. 

“Oh, honey. I’ve spoken to Mrs. Joseph. This should be the last day.” That made Josh’s tense body unclench, his mind and mood not completely cleared though. 

“Plnsruined.” Josh mumbled, dragging clammy hands down his face, morphing and stretching it. 

“I know dear, it’ll be all over tomorrow and you can get back on your normal schedule.” 

Josh sighed out again but nodded in defeat. 

His mom was just about to leave as Josh began to sit up, preparing to get ready for the day, but spoke up again. 

“I hope this isn’t ruining any desire to meet them.” Josh shook his head, twitching slightly as his shoulders popped and woke up with the rest of his body. 

“Nah, still wanna meet them, momma.” He rubbed his eyes, shrugging a bit as his mom patted him on the shoulder. 

“M’glad.” She turned on her heel to leave, leaving Josh in the quiet of his sunny room. 

A boy next door caught Josh’s eye. Bright red shirt and black gym shorts. His brain fixated on how the shorts flowed around the boy’s thin legs as he stepped. Though Joshua couldn’t hear him, his steps seemed quiet, soft, gentle. The way he’d take a box from someone and carry it in. Nimble fingers dragging across cardboard before gently grasping the edges, pulling it close to his person. 

Josh let out a breath as the boy disappeared into the garage of their new claimed home. He shook his head as he let his eyebrows drop back down from their intrigued form as he remembered he was supposed to be annoyed at those loud and not quiet neighbors for ruining his schedule. 

Well, except that one boy, maybe. Hopefully. 

He shrugged off every thought and feeling from his body as he stood up, stretching and listening to his bones pop in an awkwardly painful yet pleasure-filled symphony. 

What Josh really wanted to do was crawl back into bed and hide under his soft weighted comforter in all it’s dark blue glory. But, he decided to keep most of his schedule going as he slipped on his house slippers and waddled his way downstairs, sleepily and clumsy. 

Josh’s mom looked up from her magazine in surprise. She didn’t expect him to follow through today. She took a sip of her coffee to play off her shock.

“We have any cereal, ma’?” His mom’s eyebrows shot up, surprised once again. He rarely has ever asked for something different for breakfast. 

“Yeah, in the cupboard next to the fridge, hun. What’s with the new choice?” 

Josh only shrugged, focusing on the pressure of his slippers squishing against his skin, between his feet and the cold tiled kitchen floor. 

“I saw the boy next door set down a bowl of cereal before helping bring in boxes. The bowl was a pretty light blue and it made me really want cereal.” Josh’s mom nodded, sipping her coffee once again, deciding to let Josh’s comforting silence slide over the room. 

Josh joined his mom at the table, slowly crunching away at his cereal. When he finished, he spoke, “Y’know, momma, I think I’m finally familiar with the idea of meeting them. I’d like to.” 

“Well, that’s great honey! I’m really glad to hear that. I’ll contact Mrs. Joseph and ask what time and date would be good for them. Obviously after their done moving in and everything.” His mom offered a soft chuckle but Josh felt too serious for that. 

He was finally willingly ready to meet someone. He hasn’t felt so sure since meeting people when he was a little kid. It was new, nerve-racking even. But exciting. 

Josh only nodded, getting up to put his dirty dish in the sink before running up to his room. Not without closing the window and pulling the blinds, though.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> this one is kinda long soz

Josh sniffled through the chilled autumn air, picking at strings in his tight, covering, heavy jeans. His colorful neon running shoes also felt heavy on his feet. Everything was heavy today, shirt, jacket, hat. Even his own hair was adding a bit of weight on his head.

Right now, it wasn’t bad. It was sort of comforting. But the added weight of meeting new people, being neighbors as they may, scared him. Plus, the added annoyance of them destroying a few of his scheduled mornings didn’t help. 

Josh hummed quietly, things warming up for him. His mother held a hand up by his shoulder, awaiting the okay to pat him. He nodded, not even looking at her. She began to pat him but something clicked in his brain and he dodged it, almost falling off the front porch swing he sat upon. It was too much to add into the mix right now. 

His mom had to take a break with him, trying to warm him up to leaving, changing up his schedule quite a bit today. 

“You gonna be okay, Joshie? I really believe in you, I know you can do this.” 

“Y-mm, Yeah.” Josh nodded the whole time he spoke, as he and his mom walked next door. 

Josh noticed his footsteps getting heavier, but he pushed it to the back of his head, trying to be big and brave today. It seemed important to his mom, making her happy every time she spoke about it. Josh enjoyed that and wanted to see if it’d make him as happy too. 

Standing in front of the neighbor’s door frightened him to no visible end, but he was brave. He knew he was. His mother knew he was. The cold breeze and chirping birds calmed his nerves. 

A woman, looking to be near Josh’s mom’s age, opened the door. A wide grin filled her face, gleaming and loud. It was a lot at first, Josh not really processing what just happened, but her voice was nice. Not necessarily a good quiet that Josh liked, but he could tell it was welcoming. 

“Guys, guys, come in! Make yourselves at home.” Josh didn’t like the idea of getting home comfortable in someone else’s home, so he opted to leaving his shoes and jacket on. 

Feet pounded down the stairs in a quick jog, alerting Joshua. He was stuck to staring at the clock on the wall, right above a shelf with lilies in a vase and a jar of various coins titled ‘cha-ching!’. He didn’t wanna make eye contact or acknowledge anyone yet. 

“Joshua, this is my oldest one, Tyler. You’re both the same age, dear.” Josh was humming once again, the vibrations filling his head as he looked over, accidentally making eye contact immediately. 

Panic filled Josh, eye contact making him nervous and all. Tyler’s vibe was quiet, though. Soft and Quiet. Just like Josh liked. 

Josh’s running emotions seemed so intense, like they were filling the room and splattering across the walls. Bright colors and a slight pounding in the back of his head was all he felt, saw, heard. 

But, Tyler only smiled softly, quietly, like Josh enjoys. His voice was the same as his smile, soft and quiet, “Hey, that’d be me.” His cheesy quiet grin never left his face as Josh stared him down.

Tyler had fluffy brown hair, much like Josh. He also had comforting brown eyes, very doe-like. All of his features didn’t have a single hard edge. He wasn’t loud at all. His clothing was even very soft. A gray jacket zipped up, black shirt collar peeking underneath. Casual pair of fuzzy sleeping pajamas, and socked feet. He was the very definition of quiet. 

“Well, boys, us moms are going to into the kitchen. Go mingle, dinner will be ready shortly.” With that, the moms left. Their chattering becoming muted as they passed the doorway into the kitchen. Muted, but still aware. 

“I assume you’re Joshua.” Tyler smirked, using his full name. Josh only nervously nodded as he shifted his weight from foot to foot. Focusing on the pressure on the arch of his feet. 

“Yeah. Y-You’re Tyler?” Josh mentally kicked himself for that question. Tyler’s mom did just introduce him seconds ago. 

Tyler only smirked. “The one and only.” Josh began humming, trying to die down the anxious feeling pooling in his chest. 

“So, wanna head up to my room? We don’t have to stand here all day to chit chat.” Tyler offered a chuckle, making Josh’s head swirl in a good way. 

Josh gave a jerk of his head and then followed Tyler up the stairs to his room. The sell of autumn candles and dinner in the kitchen filled the household in a very comforting, homely smell. 

“This would be my humble abode. Or, my teenage dungeon as my mother cruelly objects.” Josh snickered, cheeks heating up as he becomes more comfortable interacting with Tyler. 

His mom was wrong, it wasn’t some teenage dungeon at all. It was quite tidy, decorated minimally. A few plaques were scattered on the wall, all seeming to be for basketball. A few bookshelves and a desk, which was scattered in various papers and books. But that was as messy as it got aside from a few articles of clothing askew on the floor. 

Something that caught Josh’s eye, though, was the electric keyboard atop Tyler’s bed. It seemed like a pretty old model and brand, which gave it more character.

“You play?” Josh gave a shaky finger in the direction of the piano. 

“Oh, that old thing? I play around on it sometimes, wanna hear something I’ve been working on?” Josh vigorously nodded, bouncing lightly behind Tyler as they moved to sit criss-cross from each other on his bed.

When they were situated, Tyler shakily raised clammy fingers up to the keys, letting them hover above but not press down. 

He sniffed as he gave a quiet breathy chuckle. “I don’t play much in front of people. Wouldn’t even say I’m that good yet.” 

Once he pressed down on the keys, Josh’s head swam again. It was one more thing that made Tyler such a good quiet. Josh’s good quiet, the one he likes. 

If Josh tried hard enough, he’d probably see colors and patterns visibly fly through the air around Tyler. Swirling and pulsing through colors as he crafted together his notes. Nimble awkward fingers expertly dance across the keys. 

Josh felt himself nearly lose his mind as Tyler began to hum a melody along with the piano notes. Catching himself mumbling words, he stopped. 

With heat rising across his face he spoke, “That’s all I have so far. I’m not amazing or anything but I pick it up from time to time. It’s good to come up with a quick melody and match your feelings to the notes.”

Josh was starstruck. Tyler really had something. Josh himself, dabbling every now and then with music. He had a drum kit, so he really appreciated Tyler’s passion for music. Something they could bond on. 

“You’re really good, Tyler. You need to keep playing.” Tyler would’ve teared up if he was the sentimental type. That was the most Josh has spoken to him so far, and it was to compliment him and his music. 

Tyler cleared his throat, “Th-Thank you, Josh. That’s really kind.” He smiled bashfully. 

Josh was about to speak up again, but Tyler’s mom cut him off, calling them down for dinner. 

“C’mon, Joshua. My mom made my favorite tonight, you need to try it.” Josh just nodded, scurrying off not far behind Tyler like he’d follow him across the world.

**Author's Note:**

> HEY. I'm quite proud of this so far. Can't promise I'll always update it bc commitment is scary. But it's definitely something to look forward to for the time being!


End file.
